On 28th of May 1941, Maksymilian Maria Kolbe was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he received camp number 16670. In the camp, he was assigned to the "Babice" commando, which worked on cutting down trees and removing branches.
Death cell of St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe in the Auschwitz concentration camp (block 11),
photo: Wikipedia
In addition, he secretly performed priestly service for his fellow prisoners (including confessions, preaching sermons and secretly celebrating masses). There are two souvenirs left of him (a small camp chalice for mass and his rosary, offered to William the Iron (camp number 1126) of Chorzów.
After the liberation of KL Auschwitz, the surviving prisoners donated these souvenirs, which are now displayed in reliquaries. During an assembly in the camp on July 29, 1941, led by the camp director Karl Fritzsch, he voluntarily chose starvation in exchange for his convicted fellow prisoner Franciszek Gajowniczek (camp no. 5659), who was in a group of 10 prisoners sentenced to death for escaping from the camp (block 14A), one from prisoners. After the war, Franciszek Gajowniczek, in front of witnesses Franciszek Mazurkiewicz and Brother Ferdynand Maria Kasz in Brzeg, described the event as follows:
During the harvest season, in the last days of July 1941, when the opportunity presented itself, one of the Auschwitz prisoners from my block escaped. As a reprisal for this, the prisoners of my block were decimated during the evening roll call. Ten prisoners from my block were marked for death. Camp commander Fritzsch, accompanied by Rapportfuhrer Palitzsch, made the selection. An unfortunate fate also fell upon me. With the words: "Oh, how I feel sorry for my wife and children whom I am orphaning," I went to the end of the block. I was supposed to go to starvation cell. These words were heard by Father Maksymilian Kolbe, a Franciscan from Niepokalanów. He left the ranks, approached Lagerfuhrer Fritzsch and tried to kiss his hand. Fritzsch asked the translator: “Was wünscht dieses polnische Schwein?” (Polish: What does this Polish pig want?)O. Maksymilian Kolbe, pointing at me, expressed his willingness to go to death for me. Lagerfuhrer Fritzsch, with a wave of his hand and a word: - "Heraus" (Polish: "Get out"), ordered me to step out of the ranks of the condemned, and Father Maksymilian Kolbe took my place. In a moment they were taken to the death cell and we were ordered to disperse into our blocks. At that moment it was difficult for me to realize the enormity of the sensation that had come over me; I, a convict, have to live on, and someone willingly and voluntarily offers his life for me. Is it a dream or reality?... Among the colleagues of the common misfortune of Auschwitz, one voice of admiration for the heroic sacrifice of this priest's life for me was heard. - Franciszek Gajowniczek
source – Wikipedia
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